Prayerfulness on a Porcupine Tree

I have been listening to the band Porcupine Tree this week – a lot. Porcupine Tree are an English (progressive) rock (/metal) band from England. They have been on the go for about 25 years and what I find particular noteworthy is that unlike the majority of prog. band types tend to eschew the sci-fi universe concept for much more grounded and human explorations of emotion and personhood.

The object of my auditory delights this week has the music from their live DVD Anesthetize. One song in particular is Cheating the Polygraph.I find the lyrics arresting. It’s the simplicity and honesty that gets me the most, I think. Here’s the verses:

There’s nothing much I can specify as to why I truly love these lyrics outside of my own general identification with how they are true for/of me. I love music that excavates and explores, that doesn’t try for reconstruction until an issue has been identify and experienced.

It is my honest wish that Christian music do this more often. It has been a long time since I got lost in a “Christian” song – they just aren’t honest enough, they aren’t deep enough – they are more often than not, just boring. I don’t want to be told something about God or Jesus etc., I want to tell God something about me – this is/I am where I need God.

The lyrics of a generally unhappy, ambient, British (prog.) rock band have been a site of personal excavation and prayerfulness for me – what about you?